Baltimore Veggie Soup

Vegetable soup isn't something we have too often at home. This recipe uses taste memory to fool me into thinking there's protein present. It's got all the vegetables and seasoning of Maryland (or Baltimore) crab soup, which are forward enough in that soup to make the crab take a back seat. Voila: same flavor, no meat. (Yeah, I do use chicken stock but you could easily use veggie stock to go fully meatless.)

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 large sweet onion, diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 small cubanelle pepper, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 2 tsp Old Bay seasoning (divided into 2 x 1 tsp portions)
• 1 tbsp flour
• 4 c chicken or vegetable stock
• 7 oz frozen mixed vegtables (e.g. 1/2 a bag of Hanover with peas, corn, green beans, carrots)
• 14 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 c cooked ditalini pasta
• salt and black pepper